Much bigger than mice
Rats are several times the size of a house mouse, so they're stronger, more destructive, and need bigger traps and bigger gaps sealed.
Bay Area Rat Removal · SPCB-Licensed · 13+ Years
Rat Removal in the San Francisco Bay Area
Rats aren't just big mice — they climb into attics, gnaw through wiring, and get in through bigger gaps. We identify the species, trap and remove them, and seal the entry points they used.
Free inspectionSPCB-licensedHumane trapping & removalFast response
Free on-site estimate · No pressure · We come to you
Rats, Specifically
Rats Aren't Just
Bigger Mice
The Bay Area has two rats to worry about, and they behave differently from mice — and from each other. Roof rats are climbers: they get into attics along fences, tree limbs, and utility lines and nest up high. Norway rats are burrowers: they come in low, from the ground, crawl spaces, and around the foundation. Both are far bigger than mice, do more damage, and need larger gaps sealed — a mouse can squeeze through a dime-sized hole, but rats exploit bigger openings a mouse-focused job would miss.
That's why rat removal is worth treating as its own job: we identify which rat you have, target the traps and the entry points to that species, and remove them. Removal is the acute fix — for the broader keep-them-out program see rodent control, for any rodent see rodent removal, and for a combined rat-and-mouse plan see rat and mice control.
- The rat species identified and targeted
- Traps and sealing matched to rats, not mice
- The larger rat entry points sealed
- Humane, effective trapping — no poisons
- Nests and young found, so it fully clears
- Fast response to stop the damage
Know Your Rat
What Makes Rats
Different from Mice
Getting rid of rats starts with knowing you have rats — and which kind. Here's what sets them apart.
Roof rats climb
Roof rats travel along fences, branches, and utility lines and nest high — in attics and upper walls — so entry points are often up top.
Norway rats burrow
Norway rats come in low — from the ground, foundation gaps, and crawl spaces — and often leave burrows in the yard near the house.
Bigger droppings
Rat droppings are large, capsule-shaped, and roughly a half-inch or more — very different from a mouse's tiny, rice-grain droppings.
Heavier gnawing
Rats chew through tougher material — wood, wiring, even soft metal and plastic pipe — so the damage (and fire risk) is greater.
Louder, heavier noises
The scratching, scurrying, and thumping of rats in the attic or walls is noticeably heavier than the light patter of mice.
Is It Rats?
Signs It's Rats
(Not Mice)
These are the tells that point specifically to rats — and to whether they're roof rats or Norway rats.
Large, capsule-shaped droppings
Droppings around a half-inch or larger mean rats, not mice — the size is one of the clearest ways to tell them apart.
Heavy noises in the attic
Loud scratching, gnawing, or thumping overhead — heavier than a mouse's light scampering — points to rats up in the attic (roof rats).
Burrows near the foundation
Holes and burrows in the yard, along the foundation, or under sheds are a Norway rat signature.
Big gnaw marks & damage
Chewed wiring, gnawed wood, and damaged pipes or vents on a larger scale point to rats rather than mice.
Greasy rub marks up high
Dark, greasy smudges along beams, rafters, and roofline edges are rat trails — often higher up than mouse trails.
You've seen a large rodent
Spotting something clearly bigger than a mouse — a long tail, a body several inches long — confirms you're dealing with rats.
How We Work
Our Rat Removal Process, Step by Step
Removing rats is about identifying the species, targeting them, and closing the bigger gaps they use. Here's how.
Inspect & identify
We inspect the attic, crawl space, and exterior to confirm it's rats, identify roof rats vs Norway rats, and find their runways and entry points.
Set rat-targeted traps
We place effective, appropriately sized traps along the actual rat routes and remove them humanely — no toxic poisons left to die in the walls.
Clear nests & young
We locate and clear nests and litters, because rats breed fast and leaving some behind lets the infestation rebuild.
Confirm it's clear
We monitor and follow up until the activity stops, so you know the rats are actually gone — not just quieter.
Seal the entry points
We seal the larger gaps and roofline or ground-level openings rats used, so a new group can't move in — the exclusion step that makes it stick.
Free inspectionSPCB-licensedHumane, poison-free removal
Why Attic Pros
The Bay Area's Trusted
Rat Removal Team
For over 13 years, Bay Area homeowners and businesses have trusted us to clear rats — because we identify the species, remove them humanely, and seal the entry points so they stay out.
- SPCB-licensed (Co. Reg. #9901) & CSLB Lic. #1022608
- Diamond Certified & Angi Super Service Award winner
- Independently reviewed — verified Google ratings
- Humane, effective trapping — no toxic poisons
- Free, no-obligation inspection with fast response
- Local team with 13+ years in Bay Area homes
Real Customers, Real Results
Trusted by Bay Area Homeowners
4.8
★★★★★
Based on 1,900+ verified Google reviews — trusted for rat removal & home services across the Bay Area
Google Review
★★★★★
Tom is a professional and did a very detailed inspection, also gave additional details to prevent in future infestation.
ajit rathi
Google Review
★★★★★
My wife and I found mice droppings in our kitchen cabinet. We reached out to Attic Pros and was connected with Tom. He was very professional and thorough with his inspection. We went through our crawl space and attic. Gave us a full rundown of issues/problems we may be experiencing now and potentially in the future. Thanks for your expertise and quick follow up with the quote and service Tom.
Will Le
Google Review
★★★★★
These guys are awesome. Super clear comms to schedule, then received an extremely thorough consultation. We eventually decided to go with them as other shops in the area didn't communicate as well as Attic Pros.
Pedro Kroeff
Google Review
★★★★★
Tom from Attic Pros was great to work with! He was friendly, professional, and thorough during the inspection. He clearly explained everything he found and answered all of my questions. The whole process was straightforward. Thank you, Tom!
Daria Baevski
Google Review
★★★★★
Finding out we had a rodent infestation for the first time was incredibly stressful, but Attic Pros made the entire process so much easier! Jeremy was very knowledgeable when help preparing the estimate and the work that needed to be done. Their team that came to perform the work—Nico Otten, Juan Rodriguez, and Antonio Lopez—were amazing from start to finish. Communication was fantastic right from the beginning. The crew was super fast, highly efficient, and left everything very clean after sanitizing our attic, crawl space, and garage. They definitely gave us total peace of mind. They were also able to finish in one day!!
Annie M
Google Review
★★★★★
Our small cottage has a very narrow attic entrance. Denis from Attic Pros was willing to try and was able to enter to clean, vacuum, and replace the old insulation. Very professional, access areas were well shielded and protected. Powerful vacuum and clean up well after themselves.
Morgan Yang
QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions people actually ask about getting rats out — including how rats differ from mice and how this service compares to our others. Still unsure? Our team is happy to help.
Still have questions?
Talk to our team — we're here to help.
(800) 543-0382The clearest tells are size-based. Rat droppings are large and capsule-shaped (around a half-inch or more) versus a mouse's tiny, rice-grain droppings; the noises rats make in the attic or walls are heavier; and their gnaw marks and damage are bigger. Seeing a rodent clearly larger than a mouse, with a long tail, confirms rats. We identify it for certain at the inspection.
Roof rats are climbers — they enter high, along fences, branches, and utility lines, and nest in attics and upper walls. Norway rats are burrowers — they enter low, from the ground and foundation, and dig burrows in the yard. Knowing which you have determines where we look, where we set traps, and which entry points we seal.
Rodent removal is our general acute-extraction service for any rodent, while rat removal is the rat-specific version — because rats are larger, get in through bigger gaps, and behave differently (climbing or burrowing) than mice. If you know it's rats, this page is the targeted approach; if you're not sure what you have, rodent removal covers it either way.
Rat removal is the acute job of getting the rats that are in your home out now. Rat and mice control is the broader, ongoing program covering both rats and mice — removal plus exclusion and prevention. Removal is usually step one; control is what keeps them from coming back. Many homes need both.
Yes. Rat droppings and urine carry bacteria and allergens, and rats gnaw constantly — including electrical wiring, which is a recognized fire risk. Because they're bigger and more destructive than mice, an active rat infestation is worth clearing promptly.
No — we use humane, effective trapping rather than poisons. Poisoned rats crawl off to die inside walls and attics, creating an odor and dead-animal problem; trapping and removing them is cleaner, safer around pets and kids, and lets us confirm what we've actually cleared.
Not if the entry points are sealed. Rats exploit specific gaps — bigger than a mouse would use — so removal hands off to sealing those openings and rodent-proofing (our rodent control service). Closing the way they got in is what keeps a new group from moving in.
We prioritize a fast response, then work until the activity stops. The timeline depends on how established the infestation is and how many entry points need sealing. We'll give you a clear picture after the free inspection.
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Serving the Greater Bay Area & Sacramento Area
Rat Removal Across the Bay Area
Local Rat Removal Service Areas
Ready when you are
Book Your Free Rat Inspection
Tell us what you're hearing or finding and we'll inspect your home, confirm the species, and get the rats out — no pressure.